On Tuesday the Centre moved to Supreme Court asking it to restore/revert/hand over back the “excess” undisputed land to the original owners in the Ayodhya land dispute case. The Centre seeks for the return of 67 acres land to the original owners after the government had acquired it around the disputed 2.77 acre area following the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
The Supreme Court had earlier cancelled the hearing in the land dispute case that was slated to take place on January 29 after one of the five judges, Justice S A Bobde in the bench was unavailable.
Here is the cases and events cited by government in its application
Dr M Ismail Faruqui and Ors Vs Union of India (October 24, 1994)
In the application the centre cited Supreme Court’s judgement in Dr M Ismail Faruqui and Ors Vs Union of India, where the highest court of the country had upheld the Constitutional validity of the Acquisition of Certain Areas of Ayodhya Act, 1993, an act through which the Union government had acquired 67.703 acres around the disputed land on January 7, 1993.
Centre rejected Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas plea
Just two years later, Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas(a trust to promote construction of Ram Temple) had asked the government to return the undisputed land the plea which the Centre rejected on August 14, 1996.
Mohd. Aslam @ Bhure vs Union Of India & Ors (31 March, 2003)
The Centre sought modifications in SC’s judgement in the Mohd. Aslam @ Bhure vs Union Of India & Ors on 31 March, 2003. the court had “held that the status quo has to be maintained only until the suits pending before the Hon’ble Allahabad High Court are disposed of”, the government said.
Supreme court verdict on the disputed site (September 30, 2010)
In September 30, 2010 decision on the land dispute case, the Allahabad High Court had divided the disputed land of 2.77 acres in three parties equally. Later, Nirmohi Akhara, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, Jamait Ulama-I-Hind and Sunni Central Wakf Board appealed the decision in the Supreme Court. On May 9, 2011, SC stayed the High Court’s decision, ruling that the status quo be maintained at the Ram-Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Site.
“BJP always maintained that Ram temple be built on Ram Janmabhoomi. Whatever legal measure is required, BJP will try for that. PM had clarified that people want temple but the matter is sub-judice and measures will be taken accordingly. Today’s application in the SC is also a legal decision,” Prakash Javedkar, Union Minister of Ministry of Human Resource Development.
